


Unsteady

by orphan_account



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF), The Walking Dead (TV), youtube - Fandom
Genre: Angst, F/M, M/M, Phan - Freeform, Septiplier - Freeform, ZA, Zombie, Zombie AU, Zombie Apocalypse, short spin-off of season 5 of twd idk sorry, very sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-25
Updated: 2016-10-26
Packaged: 2018-07-26 03:11:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,392
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7557877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>With their home gone and the group split, all they have left is the hope to find one another and reunite with their loves ones. But unfortunately, some things don't go to plan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. get outta there

**Author's Note:**

> Basically I got really inspired of Season 4-5 of The Walking Dead to write this. I changed a LOT of things but kept a few scenes between the characters because I needed to make it sad. I didn't do the Terminus thing because I'm lazy and it'd be too long SO. For anyone wondering, Felix doesn't love Jack like that. They are just very close friends and Felix saw him as someone he had to protect because Mark wasn't there to do so. Anyways, I hope someone likes this because I did work pretty hard on it despite how sad it is and shit. So, thanks for reading!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here we began the short adventure of the group being split and escaping after losing their home.

-x-

**Mark, Dan & Ken**

The group has been separated for quite some time now. After the destruction of their home was brought down because of one cruel man, who let the apocalypse get to his head, people in their large group were now split into smaller groups. Mark ended up surviving for awhile with Ken and Dan. Him and Dan had something in common though - they were both looking for their boyfriends, who could have ended up anywhere.

Everyone was in the woods, that stood right beside what was once their home. Mark knew that Jack could be anywhere, which only made him run faster in the hopes that he'd see the one with dirty green hair close by, running for his life as well. The last words he said to Jack were racing in his head, as he thought of the fear of finding him dead. He told him he loved him, and to stay put. But Jack was just very stubborn, Mark knew well enough that he'd already moved from the safe place knowing that he could be the one to end up finding his boyfriend dead.

Dan was thinking the same as he. But the thing is, the two have been together since before the apocalypse had started. He felt like he was nothing without Phil. He tried to desperately think of the last words he said to him, but he couldn't remember at all. Phil was inside the building when it happened, but he had to have escaped somehow - he was alive somewhere safe. Dan would know if he wasn't. He would just be able to feel it.

Unfortunately, nor Mark or Dan could focus on the hopes of finding their significant others just yet. If they wanted to find them, they'd have to be alive to do so. With the walkers that were reaching out for them and hot on their tails, they would have to keep running.

Ken turned around, his machete swinging and hitting the head of one walker that was close enough to bite before shoving it off. "We have to find somewhere safe!" He shouted over the noise.

"Where the hell is safe?!" Dan shouted back, his spiked-bat whacking into the head of another growling walker.

"A house, a cave, anything!" Ken yelled, gripping Mark's collar and pulling him back just as one came up from behind and attempted to bite his shoulder. Mark used the hell of his boot to smash his head into the ground, killing it.

"Jack - Phil - they could be anywhere, they could be close!" Mark exclaimed. He didn't want to venture to far into the woods if either were close, and Dan could only agree with him. But Ken was smarter then either of them and had his head straight on survival.

"It's not safe, we can't wait," Ken replied with a shake of his head. "We have to go, come on!" He took off once more, seeing the herd getting closer and closer to them. Mark and Dan had no choice but to follow, holding onto their weapons tightly in case any of the walkers would get to close.

The three soon came across a long river, that was hopefully deep. Mark paused quickly to pick up a rock and toss it in. "It's deep enough," he announced. "We can swim across. Hopefully it can slow them down, but don't touch the bottom. It could be mud," he said, taking off the heavy jacket that he had on as it would only sink him. Ken and Dan did the same, taking off the heavy things they held onto before following Mark into the water and swimming across.

As suspected, the walkers did follow as the three swam as fast as they could to the other side. The water was deeper then Mark had suspected, and the current was a bit strong, but none of the three gave up until they had reached the other side. Dan was smaller compared to Mark and Ken, as they had more broader frames which led him to struggle more getting out of the water. The two helped him out, and they all leaned over, gasping and choking up on the water. Luckily, the walkers did indeed do what they thought they would and struggle to swim across.

"Come on," Ken gasped out, wiping at his mouth. The three stood and staggered through the woods again, their clothes sticking to their bodies from being drenched in water. For now, they were away from the walkers.

Yeah. For now.

-x-

**Meanwhile for Jack & Felix ...**

"Felix, have you seen Mark?" Jack gasped, trying to catch his breath. The two ran into each other as they escaped into the woods, running past blazing fire for their lives. Luckily, none of the walkers had caught up to them as they escaped from a secluded area in the back of the building. Jack felt somewhat better knowing he was stuck with Felix for now, as he was the original leader of their group and would be more calm and have a straighter head in a scary situation like this.

"I didn't see him anywhere," Felix breathed out in reply. "Did you.. See Marzia?" When Jack shook his head, he could only nod slowly. "Okay. Fine. Come on, we can't stay here any longer." He took off running, the gun he carried tight in his hands.

Jack could hear the sadness in his voice, for the loss of his home and the missing of his girlfriend but he saw that Felix was trying to hide it. So instead of commenting on it, he followed after the leader. The running they had slowly came to a short stop when they thought they would be far enough from the walkers and fire.

"We need to find shelter. Do you have anything useful in your bag?" Felix asked, turning to Jack once they stopped for a moment. Jack couldn't understand why Felix was more worried about finding a shelter then their friends, but he pushed it aside.

Nodding, Jack turned and slipped the bag off his back. When Mark left him, he ran to the building and grabbed what supplies he could before it collapsed. "Bullets, some food, water bottles and a first aid kit," he described, searching through the bag as he listed off what he had.

Unfortunately, Felix didn't have any supplies on him other then the gun he had carried. But him and Jack were semi-close, and Jack was only human after all. Of course he would share with him. "We should find shelter," he decided again, as they pushed past trees until an opening to a long train track came into view. "There could be houses along the way, we need to hole up in one of them until we can figure out what to do from there."

The walk was completely silent, other then the dirt and wood of the tracks that crunched underneath their boots. Jack turned his head to see Felix's head down; he could clearly see the other was upset over what had happened. "Do you.. Need to talk?" He asked slowly. Jack himself was by no means okay - it's only been about half an hour at the most, even though it felt like hours, and it was effecting him more then anything. Worrying for Felix was now just piling on top of his emotions.

"Everything is gone," Felix mumbled. "Everyone we know is gone. I saw Juliet's bloody chair, empty. Don't.. Don't try to give me therapy. Don't tell me everything is okay."

So Jack didn't push it anymore. Yeah, he wanted to. He wanted to help his friend more then anything but he understood. Maybe Felix would want to talk about it later, but for now, his mind was being set on survival.

-x-

**Meanwhile for Phil, Marzia & PJ ...**

"Is everyone dead?"

Phil turned his head to look back at the questioning little girl, Mika, who stared at him with big brown eyes full of fear. He wasn't sure how he could answer a question like that without hurting her feelings or ruining her innocence even more.

"I don't know," he finally managed to say.

"Don't lie to her," Lizzie, her older sister, snapped, clutching onto the baby bag that was slung over her shoulders.

Instantly, Phil felt guilty. He knew he shouldn't lie to such a small child, but thought it'd be better to do so. "Some may be," he continued, which wasn't a complete lie and almost as good as what he answered before.

Suddenly, the baby in Phil's arms began to wail loudly. Mika flinched at the sound and her hands flew up to cover her ears while Phil tried to quietly hush her, bouncing the tiny infant in his arms yet it did nothing. "Juliet, please calm down," he begged quietly. Her crying was understandable - she was a baby that felt uncomfortable and would clearly make loud noises, but it was going to attract walkers. They weren't safe yet, they were still pretty close to where their home once was so any close-by walker could be lead to the four. Phil wouldn't leave the three young girls from there die, he took them to the woods where he considered to be safer then a falling and burning building.

"Make her stop!" Lizzie shouted nervously. She reached for the gun in her belt's holster, but Phil stopped her. If Juliet's crying didn't attract walkers, gun shots would. Her eyes suddenly grew a bit wide as she saw the trees in front of them start to rustle.

"Take your guns out," Phil changed his mind quickly, whispering to the two girls. He wasn't going to make them fight if there were to many, but he wrapped a protective arm around Juliet and held her close. She wasn't his child; she was the leaders' and his girlfriend's. He still wasn't going to give her up that easy though.

Suddenly the tree brushed aside and a loud, echoing gunshot rang in the air. The only walkers' body hit the ground but Lizzie and Mika were both looking at the rotten corpse strangely. Phil quickly found out that both of them were staring in confusion because neither had shot it. Suddenly, two very much alive bodies stumbled out.

"Phil?!"

"You two scared us to death!" Phil breathed out, stumbling towards both PJ and Marzia who reveled themselves finally. Without hesitation, he set Juliet into Marzia's arms. She held onto the baby with one arm and wrapped the other around Phil, tightly embracing him and whispering her thank you into his ear before pulling away and kissing her babies forehead.

PJ was the next one to pull Phil into a tight hug. "Have you seen Dan?" He asked worriedly as he could only see the two young girls instead of his close friends' boyfriend.

Sadly, Phil shook his head. "I haven't. I was hoping I'd run into him - "

They were suddenly interrupted by the sound of leaves crunching and quiet groaning. PJ shook his head, stopping Phil's words. "Hold on. We gotta get somewhere safe, go.."

No, none of them were exactly sure where they were going. But for now.. They just had to stay safe. And anywhere can be considered safe. 


	2. feuds and bad times

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For now, they're safe. But that doesn't stop arguments from heating up between our survivors.

-x-

**The next day for Mark, Dan & Ken ... **

Mark scraped the blade of his hunter's knife against the wood again and again, feeling the anger boil inside of him but refusing to let any of that feeling show. He could feel Ken staring at him with worry but he refused to glance his way. He was more then pissed off neither Dan or Ken would listen to him when he said he wanted to look for Jack, because he could be close. He could be farther and in danger. He suspected that Dan would understand at least, considering he's going through the same thing, but no. He wasn't nearly as stubborn as Mark for the moment.

"I think you need to talk to us, Mark..." Dan started speaking, breaking the silence as he started standing up from his resting spot. The three were only pushed deeper into the woods after crossing the river and chose a secure spot to dry off and think of what to do next. "I understand you're mad, but there could be walkers near by... You're no good to Jack dead, are you?"

"I did expect you of all people to understand," Mark mumbled harshly in response before he stood up to face Dan. "But I guess not. Really. I think get it now."

Dan's eyes narrowed, suddenly angry, at his cold yet harsh words. "What is that supposed to mean?" He demanded to know, offended. All he wanted to do was comfort the other, there was no reason for him to shoot back at him cruelly.

"You don't think Phil's alive," Mark spat out. "And to be frankly honest, I don't think you care." He meant nothing by the vulgar words, he really didn't, he was just upset and couldn't think straight because of the whole situation with his own boyfriend being lost. None of that made what he was stating by any means okay, though.

In a flash, Dan had dropped his spiked bat and knocked Mark over. Mark, obviously, could have fought back but was to shocked from the sudden pounce of anger from the other boy and instead fell back without a struggle. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!" Dan shouted, his fists turning white from clenching Mark's shirt tightly. "Don't you _dare_ bring my boyfriend into this! I never once mentioned fucking Jack!" He continued shouting, staring angrily at Mark's emotionless face.

"Dan, that's enough!" Ken exclaimed, rushing to the two fighting boys. He wrapped his arms around Dan's thin waist and tried to pull him off but he wasn't able to, as he was holding on tightly.

Dan was hardly listening. "If Phil was dead, I'd know!" His voice was getting louder and higher, yet also breaking from how hurt he was. "And it would fucking kill me! He's all I have left!" He screeched, leaving Mark to finally understand how unnecessary and terrible that his words were and feel guilty over it.

"Dan, I said stop!" Ken shouted once more, finally managed to pull Dan off the other. He didn't expect for Dan to start sobbing uncontrollably and nearly fall out of his arms from how fragile he became after the outburst. "Hey, calm down.. It's gonna be okay.." He tried comforting the now shattered boy as Mark stood up and brushed himself off.

"I'm sorry, I am," he tried apologizing when the realization of what he said wasn't okay had hit him. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm just as effected about this as you are. I don't.. I don't know what I'd do if I lost Jack," he whispered before sucking in a large breath and continuing. "I'm just worried about him. That doesn't really excuse it, but I am. And I know you're worried about Phil, I do."

That didn't matter to Dan at all, though. What Mark said hit a certain spot in him and he couldn't forget that, even if he apologized. "Whatever," he managed to mumbled. He pulled himself out of Ken's embrace and picked up his bat once more. "If we're gonna find them, let's not be dumb about it and half-ass around the woods shooting. We need a plan."

"A plan?" Ken questioned. There wasn't many times that anyone in the world had to think of a plan, unless it was for survival.

However, Dan was already one step ahead of them. When he heard the trees quietly rustle, he smiled to himself despite the fact he should be ready to attack whatever was there. He forgot all about what Mark had said to him, and swung the bat in his hand when the walker exposed himself.

"Dan - " Mark started to speak, ready to warn him but Dan had already swung harsher then he ever has before. Ken and Mark stared in shock as Dan hit the walker again and again, using all of his rage to splatter the walker's body against the ground. He suddenly stopped, using the back of his sleeve to wipe off the blood that splattered against his face once it was dead.

"Hey, calm down.." Ken said softly and gently. He was a bit startled when Dan looked over his shoulder and glared at him. It was cold and cruel; something that was completely unlike the sweet boy with brown, puppy eyes. "Killing them so violently isn't going to bring Phil back. Why don't you explain to us what your plan is?"

"I'll show you," Dan mumbled. "Help me with this."

Both Ken and Mark were hesitant, but they eventually helped Dan with what he wanted. They picked up the walker's body - that didn't look very much like a body anymore, due to Dan's act of violence - and followed him to where he was claiming a long railroad was. He swore that him, Phil and Felix came across it during a run for supplies once. Neither of them pushed it, mostly because Dan was becoming more stubborn and sure of himself and it had truthfully scared them a bit.

Which had led them to be a bit shocked when they did eventually see a train's rail road as they finally made their way out of the woods. "Here," Dan decided, pointing to where a boarded map on the side of the rail road stood. It was dirty and hard to see, but it's not like they were going to be trying to read any of it for directions. It was basically useless, except for one thing.

Ken and Mark were suddenly disgusted when Dan set his bat down and dug his hands into the walker's stomach. "I'm not judging Dan but, what the hell are you doing?" Ken questioned, feeling his stomach start to lurch like he was going to puke over it.

"Leading them to us," Dan replied simply. He waited until his hands were painted in the red blood before standing back up and walking to the board. As he ran his hands against it, writing letters apparently, both Ken and Mark had finally understood.

' **PHIL AND JACK  
FOLLOW THE TRACKS** '

Was written right above where Dan had painted a long arrow that was pointing in the left direction to direct them where their next stop would be. He stepped back and smiled widely, a real one this time. Even his dimples were popping.

"That's genius," Mark spoke up, grinning and making Dan turn around to look at him. "Really, it is," he continued honestly. "And it rhymes."

"I don't think that's the biggest point," Ken cut in with a short yet happy chuckle. "But hey, it doesn't matter. Come on, let's go left. We can make more for them and the others, just in case."

For now, Dan didn't care a bit about the blood on his hands now. After awhile, it wouldn't matter for him nor for Ken and Mark as they would be soon doing the same as he had done because the tracks have to eventually end somewhere. And if it wasn't somewhere safe, they could turn around and hopefully run into who they were directing for.

Maybe it wasn't the brightest idea, considering a bandit or someone worse could see that sign and follow them but Dan had high hopes they could take care of themselves. Besides, there wasn't that many people alive anyways. And they didn't have much as well. So what did they have to lose?

Plus, the three knew that none of the people in their group were dumb. They would know who it was from and what to do from there.

And for the first time in awhile, the three had hope.

-x-

**The next day for Jack & Felix ...**

"I don't see why you're so insisting on having alcohol," Felix mumbled. Him and Jack, as suspected, came across a small cabin just peeking out of the woods. Currently, he was leaning against the wall as the other dug through endless boxes. "We should be looking for more useful things."

Jack sighed, pushing a box aside. "I'm Irish. I can do what I want," he shot back, before finally smiling when he opened a box and found full bottles of alcohol. He didn't even bother looking at the label and instead pulled it out. "You're hurting, I'm hurting. It'll make the pain stop for a little while at least," he explained as best he could, standing up and showing Felix the bottle. "Go get some cups. I need to feel fucking something," he grumbled, pulling out a broken wooden box and turning it over before plopping in front of it to use it as a table.

Really, Felix didn't think it was in the slightest bit a good idea. Sure, the door had a few things piled against it and the windows were nailed shut with wooden boards but the risks were high. Yet, he still decided to push that feeling aside and decide he didn't care. He agreed with Jack - he needed to feel something too because of how numb he was for the moment. So he complied and searched through the cupboards while Jack popped open the bottle. Eventually, he found two dirty cups but it wasn't like they had a luxury of choosing cleaner utensils. After awhile, Felix didn't care much about it anymore. This wasn't any different.

Jack didn't hesitate to pour the glasses full. It didn't take long for him to finish his first cup before he smiled, something Felix wasn't used to. It's not like he saw smiles everyday or anything. "I need more," he decided, reaching for the bottle once more.

But Felix had batted his hand away in protest. "A little at a time, dude. We don't want to forget where we are," he said.

At first, Jack didn't like that Felix was basically right, but soon he smiled at him with a glim in his blue eyes and pushed the bottle towards him. "Then do you wanna play a game?" He questioned.

"Will you stop giving me therapy if I say yes?" Felix mumbled back, tipping the drink into his mouth before facing him again and watching him nod. Although he was sure that Jack was lying and would push him to talk about his feelings more, he agreed. "

"Okay," Jack nodded, ready to start. "Never have I ever.." At Felix rolling his eyes, he stopped to protest loudly. "Hey! It's the first one that came to mind, okay? Now shut up. Never have I ever.." He paused, thinking what to say before speaking. "Had a child," he finally decided. When he saw Felix's eyes suddenly look away, he felt bad. He really didn't mean to mention her, he had just forgotten. "Felix.." He started slowly, ready to apologize, but Felix had stood up and turned away before lifting his arm and smashing his glass to the ground, making Jack jump in surprise.

"No, hold on, it's my turn, right?!" Felix snapped, whirling around to look at a startled Jack. "I've never.. Was able to laugh or smile after I lost somebody close to me!" He shouted. He ignored the sounds from outside that was clearly from a walker that was attracted to his loud voice and continued to shout angrily. "I've never acted like everything was fine, after losing the one place I felt safe at! Hey, I've never relied on anyone for protection before!"

Jack looked down at his lap, guilty yet hurt because he knew Felix was right. He relied on Mark to protect him, and relied on Felix to protect the group. "I didn't mean.." He trailed off, stopping when Felix kicked a bucket across the room and started moving the things they set against the door.

"I'll kill it," Felix said coldly. Jack stood up quickly and followed him outside, watching as Felix pulling a knife out and using his arm to push the walker against a tree. He stood, shocked yet silent as Felix stabbed it in the neck, the chest, everywhere but the head.

"Just kill it already!" Jack shouted, seeing Felix was being splattered in blood. Felix didn't answer, instead he let the walker go and stepped back, seemingly disgusted and frustrated at it all. Before the walker could bite him, as it was reaching out already, Jack rushed to rip the knife from Felix's hand and push it back to stab it in the head once. He turned around as Felix finally managed to pull himself together and yell at him for what he did.

"What'd you do that for?!" He yelled. "I was having fun!"

There was no way Jack would feel guilty for killing a walker, especially if it was about to bite Felix because he was doing something wrong. "Killing them isn't supposed to be fun!" He shouted back, scolding him. "I get you're hurting, but you can't take it out on me like that!"

"Then what do you want from me?!" Felix exploded. He and Jack both either forgot, or didn't care, that there could be walkers nearby that would be attracted to their loud voices.

"I want you to stop acting like you don't care about what happened!" Jack cried out. "I know you lost people, but I did too! I cared about everyone, not just Mark! Why don't you?!"

Felix stared at him, breathing heavily. "Is that what you think? That I don't.. Care?" He asked. Jack nodded, stepping forward but Felix stepped back. "You don't.. You don't know anything," he stammered out coldly.

"I know that when you look at me, you just see another dead weaklin'," Jack snapped. "I survived, but I know I'm gonna die soon! Stop treating me like I don't know that! I.. I know I need the protection. You don't have to fuckin' remind me. But for now.. I made it," he stated desperately. When Felix didn't answer, instead just stared back at him with fury, Jack continued. "You used to be like me. Scared, unsure, and in need of help." He paused to step closer and stare straight at Felix as he spat out his next words. "And now god forbid you ever let anyone get too close."

"Too close, huh?" Felix retorted. "You know all about that, right?! You lost a boyfriend and can't even shed a tear!"

"Fuck you," Jack shot back angrily, crossing his arms. "You don't get it." But Felix did get it. He just wasn't dealing with it like Jack was.

Maybe Jack really didn't understand the situation they were stuck in. Felix hated how he was ignoring it, he just wanted him to understand. "No, you don't get it!" He practically screamed. "Everyone we know is dead!"

"You don't know that!" Jack screamed back. He didn't want to even consider the possibility that Mark, along with most of the people he knew and cared for, could be dead. They've stuck together and stayed alive this long, he just couldn't be.

"They might as well be, 'cause you're never gonna see any of them again!" Felix hollered. "Dan, Phil, Marzia, Ken, PJ.." He started listing off named of people he knew Jack cared for. He was already owning up the fact that he may never see his girlfriend or baby because of the fall of their home. It was nearly impossible, and he just wanted Jack to understand so he only made their argument worse by continuing as he stared straight at him with his next words, not caring how much the last name would be hurt the other. "You're _**never**_ going to see Mark again!"

Felix's expression didn't soften, not even when he saw a tear rolling down Jack's cheek even though it made him soften his emotions up. He realized he shouldn't have said that but couldn't bring himself to apologize for it. Instead, he started crying about a whole other rant. "I had people to look out for," he whispered. He could feel the tears well up in his eyes but he tried not to cry. "And Marzia.. Juliet.. I don't even know if they're.." He stopped, turning around when the tears finally had cascaded down his face. He was starting to let himself feel it. "I had one fucking job and I couldn't do it. I.. I can't do it anymore," he sobbed, looking down.

What Felix hadn't expected though was for Jack to wrap his arms around his back and tightly hug him from behind. "You couldn't have done anything," the Irish man whispered. He lifted his head up and rested it on Felix's shoulder for a second to see his friend tilt his head down and start to cry loudly. It wasn't something he was used to, as Felix had led him and his boyfriend since the beginning and never cried once in front of him or anyone, for that matter. "And.. I promise that you're going to be okay. We're going to be okay."

There were no more words needed to be spoken. The two friends stood there, Jack hugging him from behind and letting Felix cry, because for once they both finally accepted and understood the fate of their loved ones.

-x-

**The next day for Phil, Marzia & PJ ...**

"Will this be home?" Mika questioned to Phil softly, referring to the small house they had stumbled across. He smiled slowly. He didn't understand why, but out of the two other adults that were with them, she was the closest to him.

Mika really was, though. When they lived in their home, Phil often caught her trying to follow him and ask him about his past. She asked him about Dan and always sat next to him at meals. After her father's death, it seemingly only brought her closer to him. She saw him as a father figure, and as much as Phil didn't want to, he saw Mika and Lizzie as his own children. He loved them just as much.

"I don't know," he admitted. He could see that Marzia was smiling too in the chair she sat in, Juliet being rocked to sleep in her lap. PJ was sitting cross legged on the floor, taking his time to sharpen the knife he held against a medium-sized piece of bark. There was one person that was missing, however and that certainly grabbed his attention and had made him think. "Do you know where your sister is?" He suddenly asked, standing up.

In Phil's opinion.. Lizzie wasn't safe. Yes, he cared for her and loved her. He wasn't so sure what it was, nor could he put any of it into words, but something was just very off about her. It made him nervous to leave her alone, by herself or with anyone else. Which is why he was worried of where she could be right now. Maybe he was over-thinking it, but he didn't want to doubt his feelings.

When Mika shrugged her shoulders and shook her head, PJ spoke up for her as Lizzie spoke to him before she had disappeared. "I think she's outside, in the back of the house," he answered. "She said she wanted to play before she left," he added.

Now Phil didn't like the sound of that at all. He only nodded back though and said quickly; "I'll go check on her" before walking into the kitchen. The suspicion of what Phil was thinking and feeling caught both Marzia's and PJ's attention but they didn't comment on it and let him go.

However, when Phil peered out the kitchen window he gasped quietly. He stood there for a moment, shocked, as he watched the short-blonde girl run around the yard. But that wasn't the problem. What's wrong is Lizzie was allowing a walker to chase her while she dodged it and laughed like she was playing a game of tag.

Phil didn't hesitate this time with his next action. He rushed past the window and pushed the kitchen's back door open while ripping his hunter's knife out. "Get away from it!" He shouted, grabbing Lizzie's attention.

"No, no!" She protested, stopping her movement right in front of the walker. "It's okay, no!" She said despite the walker about to reach out for her from behind.

"Lizzie, move!" Phil shouted again, his voice strained and legs heavy from how fast he was running but the girl shook her head in protest. He did the only thing he could do because she wouldn't move, and pushed her aside harshly.

"NO!" Lizzie screamed, landing on the ground as Phil knocked the walker over, laying on top of it before shoving the knife in its skull. She stood to her feet, staring at Phil and trembling violently. "She - she was playing with me, she wanted a friend!" She cried out.

Phil sat up on his knees, clutching the knife in his hand and staring at Lizzie with wide eyes at what she said. "She wanted to eat you, Lizzie!" He exclaimed, trying to get her to understand but she wasn't having any of it.

"I was gonna lead her away!" Lizzie sobbed out. She was convinced that the walker was her friend that wanted to only play, not eat her, but Phil couldn't calm down and use a moment to explain to her that she was wrong and couldn't think like that.

"You could have died!" Phil hollered desperately. What he didn't expect was for Lizzie to get closer to his face and cry with her face scrunched up while screaming something new that startled him, like it should have.

"It's the same thing, you killed her!" Lizzie screamed in his face furiously. "You killed her! What if I killed you?! What if I killed YOU?!" She screamed out, before standing up straighter and sucking in a deep breath.

That's when Phil knew something was wrong. He only suspected it before, but now he understood and was very sure that there was something different and wrong about Lizzie. Especially when she looked at him once more from where she was sobbing over the walker's body and started blubbering out words in between her cries. "You - you didn't have to! She didn't want to hurt anyone, she didn't want to hurt anyone and you killed her!"

The screaming had definitely grabbed the attention from everyone that was inside. Phil turned his head to see Marzia standing in the kitchen doorway, shocked while holding onto her baby as PJ and Lizzie rushed across the yard to get to the two. "Lizzie!" Mika cried out. She fell down beside her sister and wrapped her arms around her tightly. "Just look at the flowers, just look at the flowers," she whispered, trying to comfort her. It was something they did a lot back at home when Lizzie was upset, even when their dad died and it would be enough even if there was no flowers around.

"What happened?" PJ asked, a bit breathless and shocked as Phil was. He could see a dead walker on the ground and Lizzie crying hysterically while her younger sister held her closely, but he couldn't began understand why.

Phil could only shake his head back. He was to stunned to even speak. And, it's not like he knew what exactly happened either.


	3. one taken and one gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The arguments weren't the worst things to happen. Soon enough, sadness breaks out in between the groups and they are sure there isn't any hope left until they, quite literally, come across a sign.

**[ there's no part for Mark, Ken & Dan bc all they're doing is searching for their loved ones. but, they will deffs be in chapter 5 bc they all get together again! chapter 4 will be with just jack and what he's doin'. ]**

-x-

**Jack & Felix ...**

Night times were the worse. At least, that's what Felix thinks. He's never told anyone, not even Marzia, about the recurring nightmares he had. He didn't feel like it mattered although he knew that she would care about it and let him talk about it if he wanted to. Because he didn't want to talk about it with Jack, the other decided to stay up with him.

They left the small cabin the day before, and after adventuring in the woods for awhile they had come across a church. It was empty and perfect for them to stay at for a bit until they could find out more of what to do. Felix decided to lay in a open funeral bed while Jack sat at the piano bench. He was tired and could feel how unhealthy he actually was, but stayed up to talk with Felix as the other was feeling the same way - minus the tired part.

"Sometimes.." Jack started, speaking up and making Felix perk up to look at him. The dim lights had set a certain glow to their faces so they could see the other more clearly as they spoke. "Sometimes I wish I could just.." He paused, trying to find the right words before looking at his hands. "Change, I think," he finally stated.

Felix gave him a smile, but Jack could see the pity in it. "You did," he said honestly. He's known both Jack and Mark since the beginning, and could see the big change. Not only was it physical, but emotional. He was a lot stronger and tougher then he thought he was.

Jack shook his head. "Not enough," he admitted. He knew that despite the changes that happened to him, he was still just as soft. "Not like you." When Felix didn't answer, because he knew that Jack was right, he slowly started to laugh quietly. "I'll be gone someday. Relatively soon."

"Stop," Felix quickly protested, sitting up in the bed. "Don't.. Don't think like that." It hurt him to know his close friend was so sure he was going to die very soon when he survived this long but he did understand why he'd talk like that. He just didn't want to think about when it'd be.

"I will, though," Jack replied calmly. "And you.. Mark.. Dan.. Phil.. Everyone else.. You'll all be the last people standing," he stated. He wasn't as tough as they were, he knew it. A sad smile spread on his face at his next words, trying to lighten up the dark mood between them even though they were mellow and heartbreaking. "You're gonna miss me so bad when I'm gone."

Felix wanted to cry, he did. But he didn't want to talk about it anymore, so he tried to speak back. "I won't," he replied jokingly, before laughing bitterly at the situation. But he really would miss him, no matter what day it would happen. Whether Jack was old, young, whatever. They were close, just about best friends. He knew Jack would feel the same.

"As long as you take care of Mark for me... Then bro, you can live in denial all you want," Jack said, looking back down at his feet. He suddenly jumped at the sound of a dog barking loudly outside. "Is that a dog?" He jumped up and asked, his mood switching from depressed to excited in just a matter of seconds over a furry animal that may be outside.

"Maybe," Felix answered, crawling out of the bed. "Stay here, though." Jack pouted at him but complied, crossing his arms as Felix walked towards the door. He moved away the desk they had in front of it and opened it, just as the whining started and jumped back quickly.

A large herd of walkers stood before him, groaning louder when they saw a meal standing right in front of them. "Jack!" He shouted, slamming the door shut and rushing away, back into the room where he knew Jack was. "Run! Get your shit and go, pry open a window!" He shouted again just as he heard the door being bust open. The loud sound of moaning and footsteps was soon heard, only making both boys jump at the terrifying sound.

"I'm not leaving you behind," Jack shot back desperately, already picking up a bag but they didn't have any time to argue about it. He knew that, which is why Felix started yelling due to the fear and anxiety-filled adrenaline he felt.

"Go up the road, I'll meet you there!" Felix exclaimed in a promise, pushing Jack towards one of the windows before running past where the herd was beginning to enter. They didn't even see Jack, all their attention was focused on the running one who pushed aside tipped over furniture to try and get away from them. He soon came across a dead end, the basement, where people would prepare bodies before a funeral. He ducked and crawled under a metal gray table, whipping out the machete hanging on his built and killing the first one that approached him.

But more and more were filling up and getting closer. With a heavy breath and adrenaline shooting through his veins, he quickly ducked under the table and crawled quickly. Luckily, it was quick enough to slide past their legs before standing back on his feet and running back up the same way he came from.

He no longer cared about the herd behind him anymore, right when he heard the loud screaming of his name. He ran out the door, feeling his lungs burst in his chest due to the need of air but only stopped when he felt his heart stop in his chest and a lump rise in his throat when he had to witness a black car started to peel off away from the church. Behind it, a gun laid on the ground. The same gun that he had left with Jack for protection.

"Jack!" He screamed back desperately. Felix started running again, not even just because of the walkers but because of the hope he could follow the car. He kept running after it, not even bothering to stop when he knew he was away from the walkers and had lost them somewhere back. When the car was out of his sight, he kept going, trying to follow the tracks but eventually he couldn't anymore.

Felix didn't even realize he was crying until he was stumbling out of the woods and falling to his knees at a train track. His head bowed as he sobbed loudly; heart-breaking cries that racked throughout his old body.

Night times really are the absolute worse.

At least, that was until he managed to look up and see a sign that he was absolutely sure happened to be made out of walker blood. Considering there was a walker practically torn apart laying underneath it, his suspicion was right.

' **FELIX, FOLLOW THE TRACKS** '.

-x-

**Phil, Marzia & PJ ...**

It made Phil feel almost physically sick when Lizzie asked if she and Mika could play near the trees. She was tightly clutching a box that he could swear had something alive in it, but he couldn't let his worries show to Marzia and PJ even though he could tell they were hesitant, and realizing what he was, too. So he agreed with a short nod and told them to stay within shouting-distance so he could hear them if something went wrong.

It was lucky he did, because eventually he did hear a loud screaming in the distance when he was cleaning up. He opened the front door, PJ right behind him, to see Lizzie and Mika running for the house's front gate with a small herd of walkers right behind them.

"Phil!" Mika screeched, making his heart lurch as she suddenly tripped. He broke out into a run, pulling his gun out of his holster in the process. He pointed it forward and shot the first walker that fell, attempting to grab onto her as Lizzie tried to free the hysterical girl. "Help, help!"

PJ ran to help Lizzie pull her sister free, helping her scramble away as Phil continued shooting. He soon joined him, helping him shoot each one in the head. Eventually, Lizzie did and was soon followed by Mika who was hesitant to do so but did so anyways.

When the last one was down, Phil jumped a bit when Mika turned to him and tightly embraced him, crying into his shirt. "You did it," he said, comforting her softly between heavy breaths before he looked up and smiled at Lizzie. "You both did it."

**Later that evening ...**

The silence was thick between everyone, except for Marzia's quiet humming to Juliet. Phil finally broke it by turning to where Lizzie sat at the table beside him and speaking up to question her. "Do you understand what they are now?" He asked softly, hoping she would say yes. He let out a sigh of relief when she nodded back at him slowly.

"I know what I have to do now," Lizzie replied quietly. "I know."

"It's ugly and it's scary," Marzia admitted from her sitting place. "And it will change you. But that's how we get to be here. That's the cost. That's growing up, girls."

However, Mika looked up at her from her spot on the floor with her innocent doey eyes. "But I don't want to hurt anyone," she replied softly. "I don't.. I don't want to be mean."

Lizzie turned around to look at her younger sister. "You have to be sometimes. But just sometimes," she assured her.

Phil sighed when Mika shook her head, avoiding the gazes she was being given. "Mika, what about those people that took our home and killed our friends. What about them?" He asked in slight frustration. He was happy that Lizzie was finally understanding but a whole other problem worried him. Mika was innocent and shy, she didn't have the guts to kill.

"I wouldn't even wish I could kill them," Mika replied honestly. When Phil asked her why, she turned her head to fully face him before responding with the same sad, glance she's had most of the day - and he finally understood.

"Because they probably weren't like that before."

**The Next Day ...**

Phil finally felt secure enough to leave Lizzie alone with Mika and the baby Juliet while him, Marzia and PJ went for a quick walk to see if they could hunt anything or find any plants that could be eaten. To him, it personally was a big step. For the first time in awhile, the three were able to talk and laugh like the world wasn't at its end. For once, he and the other two were finally at ease.

That is, until they arrived back at the house.

The three suddenly came to a quick halt, the smiles and giggles completely gone when they stopped at the houses gate. Phil felt the dead animal he held in his hand hit the ground with a thud but he barely recognized it doing so.

What was fucking terrifying for him - along with the other two - was the fact that in front of him, Lizzie stood staring at him with a wide smile and had both her hands coated in blood. On the ground beside her, was Mika with her porcelain pale face splattered in blood and her eyes fluttered shut.

"Oh my god.." Marzia gasped, her hand flying up to cover her mouth. Both PJ and Phil were to shocked to speak and the three rushed to get closer to her. Marzia felt a flow of relief go through her when she her daughter sprawled on a blanket, silent but alive. She still couldn't stop the tears spilling in her eyes as a innocent little girl was killed, when she thought she would be in safe hands.

"Don't worry," Lizzie assured casually. "She'll come back.. I didn't hurt her brain."

Phil breathed in a deep, shaky breath. He couldn't believe this. It was difficult for him to take it all in and all he wanted to do was cry, but instead he had reached out and tried to take the knife from Lizzie's hand. He didn't want her to have an outburst and hurt anyone else, but when she gasped loudly and dropped the knife before pulling her gun out of her holster and pointing it straight at Phil - he jumped back, scared she'd pull the trigger.

"No, we have to wait!" Lizzie cried out. Her hand was shaking with the gun in it and her voice was shaking but she continued. "I need to show you, please! You'll see, you'll finally get it. We have to wait," she pleaded.

"Lizzie," PJ spoke softly, just as scared as Phil. "Put the gun down." His demand was just as quiet as his voice but Lizzie looked back at him desperately.

"I just want us to wait!" She pleaded again.

To please her, or at least he hoped, Phil nodded. PJ and Marzia looked at him strangely, as they didn't expect him to do so and was wondering if he'd freak out but he seemed strangely calm. "We can wait," he promised. "You just give me the gun, okay?" He said gently. When she hesitated, but seemed to believe him, he continued talking to keep her calm. "We can wait, I swear," he repeated. After a short pause, Lizzie slowly nodded and handed him her gun. "Um.." He stopped for a second, trying not to cry and find his words. "You and - and Marzia and PJ should take Juliet inside, okay? I.. I don't think it's safe for her to be out here."

"But what about..." Lizzie looked over at Mika. Phil stared too, feeling his heart sink at the little girl's dead body.

He finally snapped out of it and looked at her again. "I'll.. I'll tie her up, just so she won't go anywhere," he answered.

"Promise that's what you'll do?"

"I promise. I'll use her shoelaces."

This seemed to please Lizzie's wishes as she nodded. Phil tried to smile as he looked at PJ and nodded, giving him the okay. "Let's.. Let's go, Lizzie," PJ said quietly, patting her on the back and leading her inside of the house.

"Phil.." Marzia started, her voice gentle and sweet but Phil couldn't take it and stopped her with a quick shake of his head.

"Don't," he whispered. "Just.. Take Juliet inside, okay? I'll.. I'll take care of.." He swallowed harshly, the lump in his throat hurting. "Her."

She had clearly wanted to talk to him about it further, but there was no time for anymore time wasting so instead she nodded and picked up her daughter before following PJ and Lizzie inside.

It was then that Phil finally let himself break down. He fell to his knees and looked at the body of Mika, letting himself sob quietly. He could physically feel the burning emotional pain at the feeling of loss and guilt. But he couldn't stay like that for two long - at any second, Mika could reanimate.

So he pulled his knife out and did what he had to do.

It felt like hours have passed, but in reality its only been barely a few minutes. PJ had led her into a room and left her with food, then after making sure she had no weapons, he left her there to meet both Marzia and Phil in the kitchen so they could decide what to do from here.

"What do we do now?" Marzia asked quietly, bouncing Juliet in her lap to keep her calm. "Maybe I could leave with her.."

"You can't sleep with her and Juliet under the same roof," Phil mumbled quietly, folding his shaking hands in front of him.

"What about me?" PJ suggested. "I could - "

"You wouldn't make it, not on your own.." Phil answered, shaking his head. "She can't be around other people."

"Maybe we can try to help her," PJ said a bit desperately. He was the only one not wanting to face what they had to do. "Talk to her somehow and convince her that - "

But Phil looked at him, all of a sudden angry. "This is how she is," he snapped. "She killed her sister. She could kill any of us, and anyone she walks by. She.. She can't be around other people. I don't.." He stopped, looking at the two who gave up and nodded, finally understanding.

So Phil led Lizzie outside a moment later, somewhat into the woods but PJ and Marzia could still see him through the kitchen window. "You should pick some flowers to give to Mika when she comes back," he said quietly even though he knew she wasn't going to be coming back. Lizzie didn't need to know that, though.

"She'd love that," Lizzie replied with a nod, practically skipping merrily beside Phil. He tried to smile at her, but Lizzie could see how upset and sad he really looked so she stopped him. "What is it?" She whispered. "Are you... Mad at me?" She asked, her voice cracking. "Is that what you wanted to talk to me about?" Phil felt his heart break for her at the tears welling up in her eyes. Despite what she's done and who she is, he couldn't bring himself to hate her. "I'm sorry I pointed my gun at you," she cried. "I just needed you to wait!"

It reminded Phil of a child, which she was. She was upset that Phil was 'mad' at her like everything was normal. "I know," he said softly, not being able to say much more.

"You're mad at me," Lizzie stated with another soft cry. She turned away from Phil and walked a short distance away from him, staring at a bunch of blooming wildflowers. "I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me, I'm sorry.."

"I love you, Lizzie," Phil said. His voice was just as sad as hers, and he was close to crying as well. "And everything will work out the way it's supposed to." He paused, sucking in a deep breath as he pulled the small handgun that was hidden in the back of his belt. "Lizzie, just look at the flowers, okay?" He watched as she complied, staring at the flowers as sobs racked through her body. "Just look at the flowers," he said once more, raising the gun.

And with tears in his eyes - he pulled the trigger.

That night, two graves were made in the front of the house. Phil gave it one last sad, longing look before him, PJ and Marzia finally left not only the house but their heart-wrenching memories as well.

Eventually, they came across train tracks just when they thought all hope was gone. And right before them was a sign -

' **FOLLOW THE TRACKS  
\- KEN MARK AND DAN** '


	4. wakin' up somewhere

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack wakes up, confused and maybe scared. But he won't let that show - he just needs to find out who he can and can't trust.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is deffs the longest chap but STAY WITH ME IT'S IMPORTANT

**Meanwhile for Jack ...**

A sudden loud, painful gasp erupted out of Jack's mouth as his eyes shot open. His hands slowly twitched to life as he sat up in what he realized to be a hospital bed. All he could remember last was standing outside of the church, screaming for Felix when someone grabbed him from behind. Then it seemed like everything went black. 

Sitting up, Jack ripped the IV from his arm. He noticed that he wasn't in his normal clothing attire, but was in a hospital patient's outfit, that was blue and seemingly dirty. He didn't care though, instead he tried to open the door. He was furious to find out that it was locked - who the fuck would kidnap him then lock him in a hospital room? - and started pounding on the door with his fist. "Hey!" He shouted, hitting it harder. "Hey! Let me out!"

When Jack heard the doorknob rattle, he stepped back and grabbed the only weapon that was in the room - the IV's needle and held it in front of him defensively. It's not like he knew anyone, he had every right to be prepared to defend himself.

The door swung open slowly, and two people walked in slowly at the sight of Jack. "Everything's okay," the younger male spoke. Jack didn't trust his tone of voice, though. It seemed a bit more harsher then gentle. "Okay? Put it down," he demanded. "Drop it."

At first, Jack was hesitant but he let the needle drop out of his hand and land on the ground. "I'm Dr. Wade Barnes and this is Officer Cry," the older one, the doctor, introduced. He was seemingly kinder then the other. "How are you feeling?"

Jack felt fine for the most part. He was hungry and thirsty a bit, but that was normal for him. "Where am I?" He asked instead, ignoring the question.

"A Memorial Hospital in Atlanta," Cry answered, crossing his arms.

"How did I get here?" Jack demanded to know, a bit of an attitude in his tone. He was angry that some strangers took him when he didn't need help.

Cry clearly didn't like Jack's tone of voice, he could tell from the expression on his face, but he didn't comment on it. "My officers found you on the side of the road surrounded. You're suffering from starvation and a head wound. Can you remember your name?"

Jack was silent for a moment, thinking whether or not he should tell them his name. They couldn't be so bad - they did save him, after all. "Sean," he mumbled. "But I go by Jack." Then it suddenly hit him, who he was with, that could be here. "The man that I was with - is he here?" He asked, rushed and worried.

"You were alone," Cry stated, making Jack's heart drop. "If you weren't saved, then you'd be one of them right now." He stopped talking for a second, getting closer to Jack, almost threatening-like before talking again. "So you owe us."

Dr. Barnes took over from then. He led Jack down the hospital's hallway, pushing what was a dead body now in a stretcher. "Some of us started here and some came as patients," he explained as he walked with Jack beside him. "And everyone has a job."

But Jack was hardly listening to what the doctor had to say and instead staring at the dead man on the stretcher. "Can't we bury him?" He asked hopefully but his hopes were crushed when Dr. Barnes shook his head.

"We only go out when we need to," he explained, coming to a stop at the front of what looked like an elevator. Except, when Jack had peered down, he didn't see anything but a long, dark empty hole. "It may not be the most dignified disposal system, but we work with what we have. We managed to secure and guard the stairwells, but the windows are blown out on the ground floor. Walkers find their way into the basement when they hear a noise. And if the bodies are warm or warm enough, they clean up some of the mess." Jack stepped back as the doctor tipped the stretcher forward, allowing the body to slip off and fall.

The doctor then left, but not before requesting kindly if Jack would pick up a lunch for him. Jack was stubborn, but only complied because he didn't dislike him that much. It was there he found out from another officer that for him to eat, it would require him to stay longer and work - to pay off his debt that he would owe to them. So he chose to not grab anything for him to eat despite the grumbling in his stomach, and just grabbed the doctor's lunch.

"I used to feel like I was drowning in research," Dr. Barnes mumbled the second Jack entered. "Now the oceans are dry and I'm suffocating in boredom."

"You're lucky, then," Jack retorted, harshly and gripping onto the tray of food tighter. "If you feel safe enough to be bored, then you're lucky."

Dr. Barnes tried to smile at his statement. He motioned for Jack to sit across from him to which he complied, after sitting the tray on the desk set between them. "Where's your food?" He questioned, picking up the plastic fork.

"The more I take, the more I owe," Jack replied honestly. He could have lied and said he wasn't hungry but he didn't quite care.

"I wouldn't call this food perks, but it's fine," Dr. Barnes replied. He sliced a plastic knife across, cutting the food in half and sliding a part to Jack's side. "Go on. Cry doesn't have to know."

Jack was hesitant at first, not sure whether or not to believe him, but eventually he picked up the piece of meat with his hand and bit into it. It wasn't bad, in fact it was maybe the most tastiest thing he's had out of all the hunting meat he's eaten over a campfire. "It's good," he commented, taking another bite and realizing he may have been more hungry then he led on.

But, he didn't want to eat anymore after today. He didn't want to owe anything more.

-x-

The curiosity Jack felt eventually got the best of him when he heard shouting coming from one hospital room. He peered in to see Dr. Barnes and Cry having a heated argument over someone laying on a stretcher, and from what he could see, nearly dead.

"You said you didn't want me wasting any resources," Dr. Barnes said. He seemed a bit nervous or on edge over saving whoever was there.

"I want you to try," Cry snapped.

Dr. Barnes sighed but listened. He demanded for a few things before stating the body had a punctured lung and then looked over his shoulder to see Jack standing there, quiet. "Jack, I need a large hollow needle in that cabinet," he demanded.

Jack complied, rushing to the cabinet and pulling out the the first one he saw before handing it to the doctor. He watched as Dr. Barnes cut a sliver into the man's chest before shoving the hollow needle into the hole. Blood splattered out, but the beeping on the monitor started to slow.

"Is he gonna make it?" Cry questioned again to know.

"He fell from a building, Cry," Dr. Barnes stated in frustration. "You see these bruises?" He stopped to point on the large bruises on the chest. He has internal bleeding, but I need a CAT scan to know how bad. And even if I could determine, I don't have the tools to save him." He sighed, looking at the stranger's body. "I told you, this was a waste of resources."

Cry was silent for a moment. He was fuming with anger, anyone could tell by the look of his face and unfortunately, Jack had to bear it. He whirled around, bringing his hand back and striking Jack across the face harshly.

Jack gasped loudly from the impact, stumbling back with his head whipped to the side. He went to cup his burning cheek as Cry stormed away and slammed the door behind him. Jack felt like he was going to cry, but he tried his best to keep a straight face when Dr. Barnes led him back to his hospital room. "Is he always like that?" He asked quietly as the doctor started to wipe away and take care of the blood starting to appear on Jack's cheek from the hit.

"Only on his bad days," he answered back, tossing the wipe into the garbage bin. "Unfortunately, those are the only he has." He stood up, turning to leave after speaking. "Connor left you a new shirt."

"Wait, what's wrong with this one?" Jack questioned, stopping him as he looked down at what he suspected to be a clean shirt.

Dr. Barnes shrugged. "It's just what Cry wants."

Jack hated the fact that such a cruel man ran a place that could maybe work in saving people. When Dr. Barnes left, he slipped off the shirt he was wearing and slipped on the one that 'Connor' left for him. He looked down curiously, hearing a crackle in the shirt pocket and reached his hand in to only pull out a green lollipop. He smiled slowly, turning it in his hands before tucking it underneath the mattress. He suddenly jumped in shock when someone burst into his room; another officer.

"Cry needs you, now," he demanded.

Even though Jack didn't want to go, wasn't give him much of a choice as he practically pushed him out of the room and followed the officer into another room, a few doors down from Jacks, where a loud screaming argument was heard.

"Screw you!" A deranged older woman who was strapped down on the hospital bed screeched loudly at Cry. Jack's eyes widened from where he was at the sight of her arm, where a clear walker bite was bleeding.

"Either we cut off your arm or you do, Joan," Cry snapped as Dr. Barnes started preparing some equipment that looked identical to a saw.

Strangely enough, the woman spit back at him. "Go to hell," she spat, kicking her feet when Cry grabbed onto her.

"We're not letting you turn," Cry said strictly. He turned his head, seeing Jack about to leave. "Where are you going?!"

"I.. I can't.." Jack whispered, backing up. The sight was making him feel sick, and he knew he couldn't help but Cry wasn't listening.

"Do you want her to die?!" Cry shouted back. "Hold her down, do it! Now!"

Jack, feeling sick and having tears prick at his eyes, passed to the front of the bed near the woman's head where she was fully-sobbing. He pressed his arms down on her shoulders so she wouldn't struggle away from where Dr. Barnes who was preparing the saw to be ready. "Keep your hands off me!" She screamed, looking up at Jack. He started to shake, almost losing his grip on her, but just like Cry he didn't want her to die so he refused to let go.

"Jack, are you ready?" Cry asked in a hurry. Before he could answer, the sawing started. Jack turned his head and squeezed his eyes shut, not being able to look at the saw digging into Joan's arms. He could only wish he was able to block out the poor woman's screams.

-x-

The second that Jack was dismissed, he left for his room. He looked at the dirty shirt that was laid on his bed, before sighing and picking it up. On Dr. Barnes tour of the hospital, he remembered where the laundry room was and brought it there. He jumped a bit when he opened the door and saw a shorter, possibly younger male, folding a few hospital shirts.

"Are you okay?" He asked, noticing that Jack was a little shaken up. But Jack nodded slowly, clearly not wanting to discuss it so he didn't push it any farther. "I'm Connor Franta," he introduced politely. "The lollipop giver."

It was enough to make Jack crack a small smile as he handed him his shirt. "I'm Sean McLoughlin, but I prefer Jack," he replied. "And thanks for that."

"Guess I should have brought the whole jar," Connor joked, tossing the shirt into a basket. He turned around, pulling one off the shelf and tossing it to him. "Here, this should fit."

Instead of leaving, Jack held onto the shirt in his hands and questioned him. "How long have you been here?"

"I think about a year," Connor replied with a shrug. It wasn't like he had a calendar or anything that could tell him otherwise. "They took me away from my boyfriend a long time ago. I don't even know if he's still alive."

"Me and my best friend were looking for my boyfriend when I was taken, so I guess we have a lot in common already," Jack tried joking with him. Connor tilted his head back and could only laugh at the irony of that.

"See, they think I'm scrawny. They think I'm weak. But they don't know shit about me. About what I am." He paused to look at a shocked Jack, a smile twitching on his lips. He could tell Connor wanted out just as much as he did. "Or about what you are."

Jack liked him already.

-x-

While Connor had other jobs to do, Jack eventually had to take over for him. He was sat in the laundry room, folding clean clothes, when Cry walked in with a tray of food in his hands. He looked up to see who entered and had automatically looked back down to avoid the cold gaze.

"I know you didn't have lunch," Cry stated, ignoring the way Jack was refusing to look at him. He held out the tray of food, standing in front of him, trying to come off as kind. "Peace treaty?" He tried, easily able to tell that the other wasn't taking much of a liking towards him already.

"I don't eat much," Jack said easily, finally looking up to meet his eyes. "I'm not staying any longer then you make me."

Cry sighed and sat next to him, letting the tray of food sit in his lap. "You shouldn't see this situation as a sentence. I'm giving you food, clothes and protection. When have those things ever came free to you?" He asked, coming off harsher then he had meant to. "Try to look at the good we're doing," he continued more gentler. "We saved Joan's life. We saved your life."

"I didn't ask for your help," Jack suddenly snapped but Cry barely flinched at his attitude. Already, he must be used to it.

"It's taken a lot to get us here, Jack. And I believe what we had before all of this isn't over. When we're rescued, when this nightmare ends, we're gonna need to rebuild."

"You don't really think someone's coming for you?"

"There's still people like us. People trying to keep the world alive. Until then, we all have to contribute. To compromise."

There was a short pause between the two before Cry broke the silence and spoke up again. "Keep working off what you owe and you'll be out of here in no time. If that's what you want, that is," he stated.

"It is." There was nothing more then Jack wanted at the moment. He could tell Cry about the people he knew outside, but for some reason he just didn't. He hated being here, he missed his boyfriend and his friends. The second he was out was the second he's start searching for them. He didn't care that he'd be alone, either.

"Well, then you have to eat. Otherwise, you'll get weak," Cry said coldly. "You won't heal, you'll require more treatment and you won't be able to do your job. I know you didn't ask for this."

Jack seemed to take in his words and realized he did have a point. He was already starved, and as much as he didn't want to eat from these people, he knew he didn't have much of a choice. "Okay. Thank you," he mumbled, taking the tray from Cry and eating as quietly as possible. It didn't take long for him to finish it - Cry left once he was done, taking his tray back to the kitchen for him so Jack would be able to finish his job before starting another.

-x-

"Hey, Jack!"

Jack turned at the sound of his name. He was on his way back to his room, after finishing his job in the laundry, thinking that was the last of his job but apparently Dr. Barnes had another job for him. He stopped walking to face the other, waiting for instructions.

"Do you think you can look in on the patient we had earlier, with the injuries? Mr. Trevitt. You can call it a day after that," he asked politely. At Jack's nod and "okay", he gave him some final instructions. "He's stable and due for another seventy-five mg of Clozapine."

"Sure," Jack agreed. He gave him a small smile before walking off to the room. When he entered, he saw Connor mopping the floor around the hospital bed. He looked up at the sound of someone walking in and smiled, seeing it was Jack.

"Still at it, huh?" Connor questioned jokingly, stopping the mopping action to set his hand and chin at the top of the wood stick.

Jack laughed quietly and nodded. "Yeah," he answered, walking to the cabinet and opening it. He grabbed the medicine that was needed, putting it in a bowl and crushed it. He put the liquid in the bowl before grabbing a shot and putting it in. He then turned to the hospital bed, and took the unconscious man's arm before sticking the needle in and pushing the end to push the medicine in. He stepped back, setting the needle on the counter and about to turn to talk to Connor to make conversation but was stopped when the monitor had started beeping rapidly.

"Woah, woah!" Connor gasped, dropping the mop and jumping back when the man's body began to seizure up and down on the bed.

Jack was barely able to utter a word, to much in shock, especially when the man's body finally stopped and the monitor beeped out a long, thin line.

"I - I'll get Dr. Barnes and Cry.." Connor suggested slowly. He then took off, taking the silence from Jack an okay to do so. It was barely a minute after when the three came back in the room - and if Cry wasn't in a bad mood before, he surely was now.

"What did you do to him?!" Cry shouted angrily at Jack after Dr. Barnes had shoved medical scissors into the man's skull to keep him from reanimating.

"I - I.." Jack stammered out, unsure himself of what happened. The man was okay until he put the medicine in, but he did exactly what Dr. Barnes told him to do. It couldn't be that.

"He was fine until you two were alone with him," Cry continued angrily. "So, something must have happened. Tell me," he demanded. But before Jack could answer, Connor had jumped into the conversation eagerly.

"It was an accident," he stated quickly. "Jack went to get some gauze and I was mopping. I must have unplugged the ventilator somehow. It only stopped for a minute," he lied.

"But that's - " Jack tried to stop him, but Connor only got louder to overpower him from telling Cry what had actually happened.

"I got it working again!" He exclaimed, trying to convince Cry. It must have been enough, as Cry had nodded back.

Cry was slightly calmer now, almost scarily. "Go to my office," he said harshly.

"Wait - " Dr. Barnes tried to stop Cry from following Connor out into the hallway. "It was an accident, just an accident - "

"That's not what happened," Jack said desperately to the doctor once Cry had left the room. "He just started seizing - I don't know - "

Dr. Barnes stared at him incredulously. "Seizing? Well, you gave him Clonazepam, right?" He asked, making Jack's heart drop in his chest. He was so sure it wasn't his fault, and just a coincidence that him and Connor were there when it happened.

"Clozapine.. You, you said Clozapine," Jack replied a bit hopefully, like the doctor would remember what he told him. There was no way that he misheard him, he was absolutely sure that he told him to give him seventy-five mg.

But unfortunately, Dr. Barnes sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "No, I didn't, Jack. I said Conazepam."

The two were suddenly stopped when the sound of Connor shouting; "No! Please!" echoed from out in the hallway right before a loud smack was heard too. Dr. Barnes noticed that Jack was startled by the pleading and was about to go after him, so he caught him and pulled him back. "Jack, we have to deal with him while he's still warm - "

"No, I have to stop it!" Jack begged as Dr. Barnes tried to pull him away from the doorway where he could clearly see Cry, along with other officers, beating on Connor from his place on the ground where he kneeled down and cried, pleading for them to stop. "No! He's just a kid, please!"

"Please stop!" Connor cried from his spot on the ground, only being ignored from them and hit even more. "Please!"

Jack tried to pull himself out of Dr. Barnes grip around him. "You can't stop it," the doctor tried to convince him but Jack barely listened to him, nearly crying at this point from the sight before him. He felt like this was all his fault.

-x-

"It's not as bad as it looks," Connor tried convincing Jack. After the feud, Jack led a beaten Connor to his hospital room to help him. However, Connor flinched back when he went to put an ice pack on the side of his face where a large bruise was. "Really, it isn't," he tried again but Jack rolled his eyes, clearly not believing him. "I'm okay."

Even though Jack didn't believe him, as he clearly wasn't okay, he nodded and let Connor hold the ice pack on his own. "Take some painkillers, at least," he said, handing him two pills he may or may not have snuck.

"But it barely even hurts," Connor argued stubbornly, holding out the pills in his free hand to try and hand it back to Jack. His face luckily only had two bruises on it, whereas his chest had a bit more but it clearly looked like he was in pain.

"Just take them," Jack retorted, pushing his hand back. Mumbling a bit about it, Connor complied to his request and did as Jack opened a drawer and pulled out two flashlights - also, may or may not have been snuck. "Is it your time to do the laundry?" He asked, turning back to Connor who gave him a strange look but nodded despite it. "Good. Get all the sheets you can, and meet me by the elevator shaft," he instructed strictly. During the time that he had to witness his friend being beaten, and how he killed the man, he may have had thought of the best idea.

The only way out of the hospital.

"What? Why? What're you thinking of doing?" Connor asked curiously as he slipped off Jack's hospital bed.

Jack turned to him and smiled, a real smile. "We won't be trapped for much longer."

-x-

"Cry keeps a spare key somewhere in his office," Connor said quickly as him and Jack rushed down the hallway. The two had come across a locked door, the only way that would lead them to to there destination. "Do you think you can find it?" He was already busy tying together the sheets he had stole to make a long rope.

'No,' Jack thought. Not only was he scared to be caught, he doubted he'd be able to lie if he was. But it's not like he had much of a choice. "Yes. I'll be back," he promised. Once Connor nodded, he rushed off down the way they came and walked as fast as he could to where he knew that Cry's office was. He peeked through the window, seeing no one was in there. He took a deep breath before opening the door and quietly stepping in. He knew that he didn't have much time to look for what he needed, so he quickly shuffled around Cry's desk.

It was there that he gasped and stumbled back at the sight that laid there, before him. He recognized it to be Joan, the lady he had helped save the day before. She laid on the ground, a clear wound in her neck, bleeding out still and already dead. He knelt down beside her, brushing his fingers over her eyelids to shut them. "I'm sorry," he said softly. He couldn't start to understand why she did this instead of fighting, but he was soon to find out why when the door opened.

"Hey there," a deeper man's voice said from the doorway. "Come out, now."

Jack stood back to his seat from his spot behind the desk and saw an officer that he barely recognized, but he felt uncomfortable under his gaze. He walked out slowly, seeing that Joan's body was out of the officer's sight. "Hope I'm not interrupting something."

"Cry was just asking for his key," Jack blurted out, almost sweating from how nervous he was under his gaze and the fact he was a terrible liar.

"Was he, now?" The officer asked, stepping closer to him. "Well, you see, I was just with Cry and I don't seem to remember that happening." He paused for emphasis and stepped ever closer to Jack, practically now towering in front of him. "Hey. It's okay. Maybe there's a solution here. A win-win for both of us," he offered. He was much to close now, Jack could feel the heat of his body and didn't like it. "So how about it, Jackaboy?" He asked, his hand toying with the end of Jack's shirt. "Are we gonna work something out here? Huh?"

Jack felt sick under his touch and the fact he called him 'Jackaboy.' This wasn't Mark, this wasn't someone he loved with all his heart. He didn't want it. He turned his head away from him, and that's when he saw the glass jar of lollipops and an idea had suddenly hit him. He didn't get a chance to stop Joan from reanimating - so maybe he could use that to his advantage. She could at any second. So he looked back at the officer and nodded in reply.

"Good boy.. Now Joan, she isn't much of a team player. She fought back. But lucky for me.." He paused, sliding Jack's shirt up farther and running his hand up his chest just as Jack's hand tightly gripped the glass jar. "You're not a fighter."

Pissed off, Jack didn't hesitate with his next action. He lifted the jar up and slammed it against the side of the officer's head; making the glass shatter and cut not only his hand but the side of his head. The officer was shocked from the impact but could barely move as he hit the ground, landing right next to where Joan's body was. He groaned from the pain, trying to get up, but unfortunately for him it was where she came back. She grabbed onto his shoulder and started digging into his neck.

Satisfied, Jack watched as the officer slowly died a painful and bloody death. He didn't feel any remorse for him, as he knew clearly what kind of a person he was. He reached down and grabbed the gun from the officer's holster before using the butt of it to slam against the back of Joan's head, again and again, until she fell limp. He would have shot her but couldn't risk anyone hearing the blow. But for the officer.. He didn't bother. Instead, he grabbed the keys he was looking for and ran off once more.

Jack tucked the keys into his pocket as he walked down the hall, passing by Cry and Dr. Barnes. "Jack? Are you alright?" Cry asked, stopping when he was seeing the startling look that was on Jack's face.

So Jack put on a smile. "Yeah. Of course.." He was about to continue walking, but stopped. "I saw an officer and Joan go into your office. They said they were looking for you," he lied easily, feeling a deep satisfaction in his gut.

Cry smiled back. "Alright. Thank you, Jack." Jack replied with a short nod before walking away, knowing now it was only a matter of time before they discovered the bodies.

Once Jack arrived back to where the elevator was, he unlocked the door to let him and Connor in. "Once you're safe, I'll climb down. I'm smaller so it'll be easier," Connor offered, helping Jack tie the sheet around his waist.

"Okay," Jack agreed. With Connor holding on tightly with his foot against the wall to keep him from slipping, as Jack slowly slid off the edge. With one hand, he gripped onto the sheet and with the other he pointed the flashlight down to see clearer. He grunted nervously, feeling Connor let the sheet slip slowly to lead him down. "Easy, easy.." He whispered, gripping tighter in the fear of falling down the dark empty hole of the elevator shaft.

"Jack, how close are you?" Connor called out softly, panting from using all his strength to keep the other from falling.

"Almost there," Jack practically whimpered back, his voice echoing back in the empty shaft. He closed his eyes tightly as he felt his body swing a bit in mid-air as Connor let the sheet slip more. He let out a loud sigh of relief when his feet his what was gross, otherwise known as dead bodies, but at least it was the ground. "I'm good," he called up, panting heavily. "Come down."

Connor released his grip on the sheet as Jack untied it from his waist. He tied his end to an electric pole near the elevator, before pulling up the sheet that was down there with Jack before tying the same part around his waist. He let himself slide down the edge, holding onto the sheets tightly as his feet slipped and slid. He gasped loudly as one of the knots came undone when he was halfway through and he fell, landing beside Jack on his feet.

"Connor? Connor?" Jack whispered, trying to help his friend up as he tangled himself out of the tied sheets. "Are you okay? Can you walk?" He asked worriedly.

"Yeah, I'm - I'm okay," Connor grunted, letting out a short cry of pain as he tried to stand and put pressure on his bad foot. When Jack gave him a doubtful look, he shook his head. "No, really, I'm okay," he tried to convince him. "Let's go.." Jack knew that there was no time to argue whether or not he could do this, so he only nodded back.

As they both exited out of the giant opening, they were greeted with not only the sun but also the loud sounds of groaning from the dead. Jack ran ahead, pointing the gun he had and shooting point-blank at any walker that came to close to the two. "Connor! There!" He shouted over the noise, pointing to where a fence was. There was a hole in it, big enough for the two to squeeze in but to do that, they'd have to get past all the walkers.

Yet, Connor was slowed down from the pain of his ankle. "I.. I.." He panted, not being able to form the words to tell him that he wouldn't be able to make it that far.

Jack could hear sirens, making his heart beat faster as adrenaline shot through his veins. He knew what he had to do from there. "Go, I'll keep shooting," he said strictly. At Connor's hesitation, he shoved him closer to the direction of the fence. "Run! Keep goin'!" He turned around as Connor limped off, shooting at the walkers again and again as he backed up against the gravel, trying to follow his friend. Not only was there to many, he could see the officers from inside the building running out and catching his sight. They didn't hesitate in coming after him. So Jack didn't even bother running - he dropped the gun and flashlight and turned around just in time to see Connor slip through the hole in the fence.

Just like that, Jack felt a heavy weight shove him to the ground and a hand pulled his two arms behind his back to handcuff him. He looked up, his chest heavily breathing and looked back at Connor who stared at him, shocked at the sacrifice he made for him. 'Go,' he mouth.

And when Connor smiled sadly at him, before taking off - Jack could only do the same.

-x-

"Who the hell do you think you are?!"

Cry was currently the one shouting at Jack, but that wasn't anything new. After being caught, Cry practically dragged him to his office and pointed to a dead Joan and one of his officer friends and started his ranting.

"You know what's happening here and you let it happen," Jack retorted angrily. "No one is coming, Cry! No one's coming! We're all gonna die, and you let this happen for nothing!" He shouted back.

It was silent for a second before Cry brought back his hand and striked Jack across the face again, this time much more harder then the last that had Jack crying out from the shocking pain and sending him sprawling on the floor. There was no regret from Cry's side, as he had stormed out of the office without another word.

After that, Dr. Barnes led Jack to his hospital room. There, he fixed the wound on Jack's face that was significantly worse then the last time. "You're healing easily," he commented. "Should be ready to jump back into it in a few more days." As he stood up to leave, Jack stopped him by asking him a chilling question.

"So how'd you know that the man who died was a doctor?" He asked without looking at him but it made Dr. Barnes freeze. "That's why you had me give him the wrong medicine, right? That's why you had me kill him. Because if he had lived, there'd be another doctor and Cry wouldn't need you. He wouldn't protect you."

The doctor was silent, before he sighed and nodded. "He was an oncologist at St. Ignatius. I knew him," he admitted. When Jack looked up at him, giving him a hateful glare, he tried to defend himself but there was no point in doing so. Jack wasn't an idiot. "They would have kicked me out. Maybe Cry.. Maybe he would have killed me. I didn't have a choice!" He exclaimed.

Jack narrowed his eyes angrily at him. "Don't you dare try to justify your actions." Dramatically, he stood up to face him and crossed his arms angrily. "Your time will come. And don't be surprised if it happens to be Cry."


	5. when the levee breaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being reunited with who you love isn't always a good thing.

  _ **"** ANGER MAKES YOU STUPID. **"**_

-x-

Reunited.

It wasn't a word that Felix thought was really possible. But when he saw three figures in the distance, he squinted slowly. He thought maybe it was just his imagination playing a cruel trick on him, or maybe the heat and sickness was slowly getting to him from the day he spent alone but he soon realized it wasn't. It hit him that this was real when he heard a loud shout of; "FELIX!"

Soon a body hit his, knocking him to the ground. "Dude! You're alive!" It was Dan, who was almost crying from how excited he was.

"I won't be for much longer if you keep your fat-ass on me," Felix grumbled back, but accepted the tight embrace nonetheless. When Dan finally got off him and helped him back up, he looked forward to see both Ken and Mark.

Felix was startled at the sight of Mark, feeling his heart sink in his chest. He felt even worse when Mark had hugged him after Ken had. He knew it was going to ruin the moment, but Mark had to know what he knew about Jack. "Mark.." He started, his tone of voice very off and grabbing the sudden attention of not only Mark but the other two as well. "I was with Jack. We escaped together - "

"Where is he?!" Mark suddenly exclaimed, grabbing onto Felix's arm urgently. His eyes were wide and terrified, wanting to know but scared to hear. "Is.. Is he.."

"No, no," Felix quickly protested, calming Mark down quickly. "We were at a church nearby. There was a herd, and Jack escaped. A black car took him and drove off," he explained. "He was taken alive."

His words eased Mark's worries as he nodded back thankfully. "Can you show me where?" He asked in a rush, tightly gripping onto his weapon and almost shaking with excitement.

"I don't think we should, right now," Ken butted in. "The rest could be close," he explained when Mark stared at him, astonished. "If it was in the woods, then it was to far. I think we should wait, okay?" He tried talking gently. It took a minute of silence, mostly Mark thinking, but eventually he nodded back. He didn't like it but he understood.

Mark was more reassured when Felix spoke up. "I promise I'll show you where," he stated seriously. He was already holding onto the guilt that what happened may have been his fault, he wouldn't be able to forgive himself if Mark was upset over it. Luckily, Mark was holding onto the words Felix said that he was 'taken alive.' Knowing Jack, he could still very well be. "Do you know if..." He was going to ask if any of them had seen Marzia, or any of the others, but was stopped by loud shouting that he couldn't quite make-out. But that didn't matter when he turned around.

A fast flash went by him that Felix recognized as Dan, who was maybe crying loudly at the sight. He raced into Phil's arms, nearly pushing him down like he did with Felix but Phil was prepared for it and caught him. But he wasn't paying attention to Dan and Phil, instead he stood shell-shocked at the sight of Marzia and Juliet. He felt like laughing as the hand gun he held onto slipped to the ground when the two approached him. Careful as to not crush Juliet, he hugged Marzia as tightly as he could and kissed the side of her head, practically trembling.

The embraces went on from there. Dan and Phil were the only two who took awhile to separate, as Phil was practically sobbing in his boyfriends' arms. No, he actually really was. Neither Felix, Ken, Mark or even Dan questioned why. Eventually, the two did let go and Phil paused to look around. "Is Jack..?" He asked slowly, looking at Mark almost pitifully.

Mark shook his head quickly though. "No, him and Felix escaped together. He was taken by strangers in a black vehicle," he explained quickly before Felix could do so himself. He seemed impatient and ready to go find him, and everyone could see that. He was just to kind to push them into the woods; worried he'd ruin the moment between everyone.

"Don't worry," Felix stated with a smile. "We're going."

-x-

Felix was smart and a great tracker, he always has been. He led the group to where the church was carefully, and thankful the herd that chased him from before had moved on somewhere else. "We were here," he announced, pushing aside the broken bits of the door.

"Are you absolutely sure he got away?" Mark asked, right behind him and looking around the place. He believed Felix when he said he was taken alive, but there's always that chance..

"Yes. He crawled out a window, and before I could get out I heard him shout my name. Then I saw a vehicle driving off," Felix answered, seemingly more sure of himself.

"Maybe we should follow the tracks, if they're still there," Dan had suggested from his spot standing in the doorway. The rest were outside waiting, except for Phil who was right beside his boyfriend and holding onto his hand tightly. They've both been like that to each other since they were reunited, and making Mark only feel slightly jealous. He didn't comment on it though, he only wished that he was able to do the same with Jack, if only he was here.

"I don't know.." PJ cut in. "I mean, you said Jack was kidnapped, right? We could run into more people like them."

Most of the group believed him and seemed convinced, all except Mark. "This is Jack we're talking about, he's the only one left," he said. "Please, we can't just leave him.." He begged.

"He's right," Felix defended him. It was enough for them to hesitantly agreed. They've all lost loved ones, but today they were reunited with theirs all except for poor Mark. "Come on, let's go before the tracks disappear."

Following the tracks took a lot longer then expected. Soon, they disappeared as they were led into a city where most of the buildings were crumbled. "I think some of us should stay behind," Felix decided, pulling his knife out of a walker's skull.

Mark looked at him incredulously. "I'm not staying back when Jack could be somewhere close-by," he retorted.

"If Jack is here - and that's a big if - you're no good to him dead," Felix said strictly. "We can't risk the lives of all of us. You and PJ stay back to take care of Juliet. The rest of us will scope out the buildings and I swear to you, if we find Jack, one of us will bring you to him," he swore.

Mark didn't like it, but there wasn't much of an option left for him. "Bring him back safely," he begged softly. He gave him a smile and promised that he would, before him, Dan, Phil, Marzia and Ken left them while they went the other way to find shelter.

They stopped by a tall building that was so broken and nearly gone that they couldn't tell what it was, but assumed it was an apartment building. There, they scoped out the rooms for useful supplies but to no avail they had found basically nothing except for a few blood-thirsty walkers. They came across a certain room that was, strangely, completely empty. However, there were fresh blood splatters and two freshly killed walkers lying on the floor. Someone was here.

On instinct, Felix had clicked the safety off his gun and pointed it forward. "Someone's here, just stay back for a second," he mumbled to his friends before stepping forward. "Come out. Now," he demanded, his voice clear and loud. Surviving in a terrible world like this one, it wasn't so easy to scare him as it used to be.

The closet door in the room had slowly opened. A clearly younger boy slowly stepped out, almost shaking as he stared at the survivors in front of him. "Don't shoot," he said quietly, putting his hands up in surrender even though he wasn't going to attack any of them. "I - I was just scared.. I hid when I heard voices - sorry," he stammered apologetically.

"Felix, he's just a kid," Marzia said gently from behind him. He slowly lowered his gun at her voice, knowing that she was right. He was harmless. She turned to the stranger with a small and comforting smile. "Sorry about that. We're not gonna hurt you, okay? What's your name?" She asked, trying to calm him.

"Connor," the stranger murmured in a reply, lowering his hands.

"I'm Marzia, and that's Felix," she introduced. "Behind us is Dan, Phil and Ken," she continued, pointing them out. "What are you doing here? Do you not have a group?"

Connor shook his head. "No, I escaped the place that I was taken into - I was just looking for something to help me go back and get my friend, he was left behind because he risked himself for me to get away," he explained in a quick rush.

"Have you seen an Irish man with dirty green hair anywhere around here?" Dan asked suddenly, cutting in and not wasting any useful time. Connor looked back at him, a bit startled at not his bluntness but whom he asked for.

"Do you mean Jack?" He asked.

"Jack?! You know Jack?!" Felix exclaimed. "Where is he? Is he alright?"

Connor had nodded back quickly. "He was the one I tried to escape with, but the people were ganging on us - he let me run while they took him," he replied. "Do you know him?"

"He was apart of our group," Felix answered, nodding.

"Are you his.. Boyfriend? He mentioned one," Connor questioned a bit awkwardly, making Dan snort with laughter from behind.

"Yeah, uh, no.." Felix said with a short laugh. "His boyfriend stayed behind while we looked for him," he explained. "Can you bring us to him?" He asked urgently.

There was no way that Connor would disagree with that. Five people that had more weapons compared to him were going to help him get his friend, he wasn't going to say no especially because he was desperate at this point. Jack gave up his chance of being free for him - he could only repay him in this way.

-x-

"Who's the group leader?" Felix asked as Connor pointed to the large hospital, stating that Jack was inside. "Maybe I can talk to him and negotiate."

Connor grimaced at that. Being stuck in that place, he's gotten to know Cry very well and knew that he was the most coldest and stubborn person that he's ever known. He wouldn't be one to sit down and negotiate for a trade, especially if it meant losing someone. "I don't think he'd be down for talking about it," he admitted. "I think we need a plan.."

"A plan?" Ken asked. "Like what? We can't just go in?"

"Oh, oh no.." Connor shook his head violently. "First of all, they're all past police officers. They have instincts and they don't handle newcomers well, unless they're the ones taking them. Secondly, they're all looking for me. We can use that to our advantage.." The wheels were spinning in his head, he was already thinking of a plan and it was absolutely genius. A smile spread across his face. "Okay, listen.."

The idea Connor had was almost simple. He'd go back to the place where him and Jack had escaped, where he knew that at least one police guard would be if he came back. There, the group would take the officer as hostage and make a trade with Cry. Jack for one of his men. There may have been a flaw or two in his plan, but it wasn't like they could discuss or think for anymore ones if they were in a slight hurry.

So that was how an officer sat at there feet, tied up, while Connor kneeled over panting from the long run he had to do and Felix had went inside the hospital without his weapons to talk to Cry. "We're not going to hurt you," Dan promised, squatting in front of him. The officer didn't respond and had only glared at him. "Listen. We're just here to make an offer to that Cry dude. You'll be brought back unharmed if he agrees to the terms."

"You clearly haven't met Cry then, hm?" The officer snapped. "Been with him since the beginning. He won't agree to a strangers terms."

But when Felix burst into the room with no words except a nod towards the officer, it turns out that he had been more then wrong.

-x-

Cry stood beside Jack, who was out of the hospital outfit and back into his clothes that he had arrived with. Behind him was most of the officers, only there just incase there was a war that would happen to break out. Across the hallway was Felix who had his hostage beside him with his hands tied behind his back and behind him was the rest of his group, all except for Ken who had went to find Mark and PJ and bring them there. It gave Felix a sense of happiness seeing his best friend alive, and okay for the most part.

"One of yours for one of mine," Felix offered, keeping a tight grip on the officer's arm.

"Just send him down," Cry said, swallowing his pride. Felix nodded and walked halfway down the hall, gripping onto the officers arm before shoving him in Cry's direction. Cry nodded at his officer, making sure he was okay, before grabbing onto Jack's shoulder and leading him to Felix.

Felix had quickly wrapped his arm around Jack and led him down the hall, ready to ask him if he was fine and thinking that would be the end of it, until Cry spoke.

"Glad we could work things out," he announced.

Taking a deep breath, Felix turned around to face him. The argument they had was heavy which led to him not taking much of a liking towards the stranger but he tried not to let it show. "Yeah. Sure."

"Now I'll just need Connor," Cry continued, crossing his arms over his chest. His statement had suddenly startled both Felix and Connor, not thinking that's what he would want. "Then you can leave."

"That wasn't apart of the deal," Felix snapped. "He's not staying. He's coming with us." He barely knew the boy, but he was Jack's friend and tried to help his get away. He didn't want to be there, and he shouldn't have to.

"Then we don't have a deal," Cry shot back. The harsh glare he had was scaring nobody except Connor who stepped up.

"It's okay," he said, pushing past from where he stood behind Dan and Phil and stood next to Felix and Jack. "It's okay. I'll stay." He didn't want to, he hated it here, but he didn't want yet another fight to break out.

Felix gently pushed him back, ready for the argument though. "It's not okay, no," he said strictly but Connor gave him a sad smile and handed him the gun that he was given before they put their plan into action. "Connor.."

"It's okay. It's where I belong," he said sadly, about to walk away but Jack shook his head.

"Wait!" He called out, walking past Felix and stopping Connor before he could walk over. He grabbed onto him and tightly embraced him, making Connor hug him back.

"I'll be okay," Connor whispered softly. He felt his heart break, but he could only be somewhat happy that at least for a little while he got to know what it was like to be outside after being trapped for such a long time.

Cry looked at the two, uncrossing his arms. He smiled, a cold spine-chilling one. "I knew you'd be back," he commented quietly.

The tone of his voice had pissed off Jack even more. He gently let Connor go and without breaking the gaze he had with Cry, he spoke. "I get it now," he said, finally understanding everything about Cry. He finally got what Cry meant by what he told him. He nodded slowly, before shocking everyone by ripping medical scissors that he had hidden in his pocket out and bringing them forward, stabbing Cry directly in the shoulder.

In a split second, the sound of a gun going off echoed loudly as Jack's head bounced back and blood splattered the ground behind him.

 **"** I _KNOW THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT ME, YOU JUST SEE ANOTHER DEAD WEAKLIN'. I SURVIVED, BUT I KNOW I'M GONNA DIE SOON. I... I KNOW I NEED THE PROTECTION. YOU DON'T HAVE TO FUCKIN' REMIND ME. BUT FOR NOW... I MADE IT._ **"**

"NO!" Felix screamed out desperately as the scene unfolded in front of him, his voice strained and broken as he watched Jack fall to his knees before hitting the floor. There was a bullet hole in his forehead, and the back of his head held another hole with the blood just pouring out. With tears in his eyes, he ripped out his gun from his holster and pointed it forward. Cry watched him, stammering over his words as he desperately tried to explain that it was an accident - and by the look of his face, he was telling the truth but Felix didn't care a bit. It only took once shot, and Cry's head soon had a bullet in the middle of his forehead before he was sprawled on the ground.

Shaking, Felix couldn't bring himself to lower the gun. Tears blurred his vision and he could hardly move, until he felt Marzia lay a trembling hand on his shoulder that slowly brought him back. He looked behind him for a second to see Dan and Phil in the same state. Dan had his head buried into Phil's neck, something he did the second he heard the shot and was crying quietly at Phil held onto him, unable to tear his eyes away from the scene. Whereas Connor in front of him was more shocked then anything as well.

Felix then looked back down on the floor, seeing Jack laying there on the ground in a pool of his own blood that was slowly forming below where the clear bullet wound was. He was on his side with his small hand resting outwards, pale and dead. He was gone. The sight before him made him sob loudly, feeling a deep burning in his chest that only made everything worse. He was supposed to protect him, bring him back to Mark, safely. He promised..

 **"** _YOU'RE GONNA MISS ME SO BAD WHEN I'M GONE._ **"**

-x-

The hospital that Mark was told about was coming into view. He took the lead, in front of Ken and cocked his gun forward. It looked abandoned, but he trusted fully that it wasn’t. Every inch of him believed that Jack was inside and that he’d be out soon with everyone who went after him. They came to a slow halt when the front doors of the hospital swung open as they approached. He smiled slowly, and lowered his gun, expecting Jack would be the first to run out, ready to leap into his boyfriend's arms and tell him he loved him.

There are walkers, which were expected. The ones behind Mark killed them with no trouble, as for Mark, he walked onwards as he bit his lower lip to contain his grin when seeing the front doors swing open.

The first one out was Dan, who clutched Phil’s hand tightly. He looked down at his feet before Mark could notice that he’s been crying, while Phil continues looking forward as strong as he can. The smile that Mark felt was beginning to disappear when they stepped aside and Marzia followed, gently helping a limping boy that Mark hadn’t recognized. They both hold looks of melancholy as they walk forward, confusing him. But then the last person comes out, just before the doors shut. It’s Felix. And he’s carrying someone.

At first, Mark can only whisper a short and quiet; “No..” Because, he doesn’t believe it. The sight can’t be real; but it is. And when he realizes it, he just screams, just so painfully, so heartbreaking.

Felix had one arm tucked under the legs of them, and his other kept around his shoulders. He was holding him as high as he could, but Mark knew who it was because he knew who that gray sweater, black jeans and neon green hair belonged to. It was supposed to be Jack, Mark's Jack. The grip he had on Jack's body loosened, and Mark had saw more. He saw the way Jack's eyes were fluttered shut against his pale skin, he saw the way his loose arms swayed and his boots dangled loosely from the hold Felix had on him. He saw Jack's head tilted back, rested against Felix's shoulder that bounced with every step. He saw the blood staining the back of Jack's hair, and the small hole in his forehead that dripped blood. He now knew from what he saw; that there was no hope he could hold onto that Jack was still alive.

There Jack is, Mark’s love.. He’s been found at last.. But he’s dead in his best friend's’ arms. Knowing this, the gun Mark clutched slips from his hands and hits the ground; as does he. Hits the ground he does, sobbing. “JACK!” he wails, praying to the sadistic fucking bastard they call God that this is all just a dream and isn’t real because it just can’t be. No, this isn’t fair.

The world around Mark sounds like it has gone silent apart from the sounds of him screaming Jack’s name and sobbing heavily. His eyes are blurred with tears, but he can see when Felix stops in front of him and he shakily stands to his feet. The broken sobs wrack through Mark’s body as Ken tried to stop him from getting closer by putting an arm in front of him that Mark shoves aside with a heavy force of his hand.

Shaking, Mark reaches out to the fragile body in Felix’s arms and first touches Jack’s pale cheek with the tip of his fingers. He wants to say something but the words are only lost in a lump in his throat, and he just can’t take his eyes off the bullet hole just right there on Jack’s forehead. “Jack,” Mark cried out the name again.

“I’m so sorry, Mark.” He could hear Felix whisper. He couldn’t reply, and could only instead wrap his arms around where Felix had his grip before weakly lifting the limp body into his own arms. Jack’s eyes were still closed, and Mark was hoping like he was taught that they’d open again and he would see the shining blue. But they didn’t.

Keeping his arms wrapped around Jack’s body, Mark bawled and tears hit Jack’s cold face. “I love you, Jack,” he cried. “I love you so much.. I’m so sorry I didn’t find you in time.”

 **"** _YOU'RE NEVER GONNA SEE MARK AGAIN._ **"**

It was then and there that everyone realized.. Reuniting isn't always a good thing.

-x-

 **"** _AND STUPID GETS YOU KILLED._ **"**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry ):


	6. the end.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack was strong. And Mark will be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i didn't think of this until last week. thank you sm for reading!

They were going to die. Its been only three or so days since Jack's death, and it was like all the hope was gone and went with him. They were completely out of everything - most importantly food and water. After burying Jack in the woods, they traveled farther and farther to get as far away from that hospital that they could. Nobody could stay there, even being offered, after Jack was shot. It wasn't fair. Jack wanted to live, and he could have made it.

These thoughts ran through Mark's head so quickly. He pressed his back against the tree he was slumped against before burying his face into his hands. There were slow and quiet cries that he let pour out of his mouth, being muffled. He had excused himself from where the group split a bit, meeting back in the road trail they were following in about twenty minutes. Mark chose to go by himself despite the leaders' protests, but he wasn't looking for food and water. He didn't care, at this point. He didn't want food and water because he didn't want to live anymore. He wanted to sit there forever, sobbing quietly into his hands, but he couldn't.

Fortunately, both Dan and Phil did find water from damp dirt. It wasn't healthy, but it was better then nothing. PJ and Felix caught a squirrel, and a rabbit. It wouldn't last forever, not even all day. Their stomachs were empty, as they haven't eaten a thing since leaving the hospital that terrible day. So everyone sat down, silently nibbling on the meat that they quickly cooked over a very small fire that they lit with sticks and a match. The meat was still practically raw but no one cared. It would have to be enough.

"Mark." The name caught his attention and Mark turned to face Dan who was holding the water bottle he managed to halfway fill with dirty water towards his direction. "Here, take a drink," he said, as caring and as gently as he could. He couldn't imagine what Mark was going through and felt terrible. It didn't help that Mark was barely talking to anyone. He only walked around with a sad and wounded expression that broke everyone's heart.

"No," Mark mumbled back. He didn't care that his body needed water just as much as it needed food, because he was barely nibbling at the meat he was given. He hated the pity that he was given, even though it wasn't fair of him, he didn't want it. Nothing is fair. If the world was fair in the slightest bit, Jack would still be alive and here with him instead of being shot in the head.

Dan couldn't understand how Mark was feeling, but he did get that Mark didn't want any pity. "Okay," he replied softly. He turned away, stuffing the bottle into his bag. That was the end of the discussion for now, until the group stood back up before continuing down the road, still eating what little meat they had left of their share. Dan was genuinely surprised when Mark slowed to be next to him and spoke up, quietly, but able to hear.

"I'm not sure if I thought he was alive," Mark whispered. His fingers shook and he tightened the piece of meat he had in his hand. No one was listening to the pair, and only assumed that the two needed a private discussion because Mark was only so fragile at the moment. "Despite what I told you, I just wanted to believe it. He always gave me hope, and I just believed like he told me. After when Felix told me that he was alive, I believed it even more," he ranted, his voice almost breaking at the thought. "And I was so stupid for holding onto that hope. Finding out he was alive, and then gone in the same day.. Seeing Felix carrying him out.. It made me realize how stupid I was. And I just don't want to fight anymore."

Hearing this just about broke Dan's heart. It was the most that Mark had spoke, and it was so sad to hear it.   
"You do," he said gently, resting his hand on Mark's arm in a comforting gesture. "Because that's who you are." It was. Mark was a fighter; and Jack was the one who helped bring out that side of him. Now that was he was gone, it was only harder to believe and try.

"Do you guys feel that?" Felix suddenly asked. He could barely hear Dan and Mark's conversation and chose not to listen, because it was private. Instead, he stopped and everyone stopped behind him. He swore he could feel small rain drops, faint but there, and he could hardly believe it. Before he knew it, the rain really did start and it wasn't just a sprinkling. Heavy water poured from the sky and everyone rushed to open their bottles, among other caved in objects, to fill them.

All except for Mark. He barely looked up, and didn't even bother holding out his bottle. He let the rain pour down him, soaking him, but he could barely feel it. He looked up momentarily to see his friends laughing and soaking up the rain, being thankful for the shower.

That was, until everyone heard the thunder booming. Felix knew that he would have to lead them to shelter, because being outside soon wasn't going to be safe. "Let's keep moving!" He shouted over the sound.

"There's a barn!" Phil shouted back. Everyone quickly screwed the tops back on their bottles and rushed, their feet slapping against the now wet ground. It was raining even harder now, and they could hear as well as see the lighting striking. Phil led them to where him and Dan came across a small barn that was deep inside the woods they were in. The group practically threw themselves inside and locked the barn doors behind them.

Everyone did the best they could making beds out of barn hay and jackets. Marzia had rocked Juliet to sleep before gently laying her down. It was completely silent, and Felix had suggested he take the first watch for the night. He settled himself next to Mark, who had his back against the barn wall and sat there in silence like he had been. He didn't look up to face his leader, nor did he flinch.

If only he knew how guilty Felix felt. What happened to Jack wasn't his fault, but he couldn't help but feel like it was. He wished he could have stopped it, he was there after all. "You should try and get some sleep," he commented quietly, not wanting to wake anyone. "It's okay to rest now.." He couldn't stop but think of Jack when saying that. Jack was resting, he was at peace. He was out of the hell on earth they lived, and he would be okay from now on.

"Yeah, okay," Mark murmured back. He picked at his jacket's zipper, not bothering to make a move to lay down. He's barely slept in the past three days - maybe about four hours altogether. He would constantly wake up, crying and shaking, thinking of Jack. It was tormenting for him, and he didn't want to. He didn't even want to look at Felix, even though he wasn't mad at him. It couldn't have been his fault, he tried his best and Mark knew that.

"Jack was tough. He just didn't know it."

The words were comfortable in a way. They were exactly what Mark needed to hear. Of course.. He knew Jack. They were together; they were each other's everything. But Felix was the one who saw a secret part of Jack. He saw how innocent that he really was, and how he was so sure that he wouldn't pull through the apocalypse. He thought that he was just a weak, nothing person. He let himself depend on Mark for protection, even though he didn't need it. He took care of himself when he was in the hospital, up until the end.

Tears were brought to Mark's eyes at Felix's words, because he was right. Jack was strong. He could have survived, could have lived alongside the group, but because of one foolish mistake, there wasn't no going back.

"He was."

Jack was a strong person. And Mark? Mark is going to be okay.


End file.
